HAPPINESS FOLLOWS THE DOER OF GOOD – Dhammapada (Verse 2)
“Manopubbangama dhamma manosettha manomaya
Manasa ce pasannena bhasati va karoti va
Tato nam sukhamanveti chaya va anapayani.”
“Mind is the forerunner of (all good) states. Mind is chief; mind made are they. If one speaks or acts with pure mind, because of that, happiness follows one, even as one’s shadow that never leaves.”
All that man/woman experiences springs out of his/her thoughts. If his/her thoughts are good, the words and deeds will also be good. The result of good thoughts, words and deeds will bring happiness. This happiness never leaves the person whose thoughts are good. Happiness will always follow him like his shadow that never leaves him.
Story
While residing at the Jetawana Monastery in Savatthi the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to Mattakundali, a young Brahmin.
Mattakundali was a young Brahmin, whose father, Adinnapubbaka, was very miserly and never gave anything in charity. Even the gold ornaments for his only son were made by himself to save payment for workmanship. When his son fell ill, no physician was consulted, until it was too late. When he realised that his son was dying, he had the youth carried outside on to the verandah, so that people coming to his house would not see his possessions.
On that morning, the Buddha arising early from his deep mediation of compassion (attains the Ecstasy of Great Compassion, Maha Karuna Samapatti) and radiating thought of loving kindness towards all beings, saw, in his Net of Knowledge, Mattakundali lying on the verandah. So when entering Savatthi for alms-food with his disciples, the Buddha stood near the door of the Brahmin Adinnapubbaka. The Buddha sent forth a ray of light to attract the attention of the youth, who was facing the interior of the house. The youth saw the Buddha; and as he was very week he was only profess his faith mentally. But that was enough. When he passed away with his heart in devotion to the Buddha he was reborn in the Tavatimsa celestial world.
How we experience our circumstances depends on the way we interpret them. If we interpret them in the wrong way, we experience suffering. If we interpret them in the right way, we experience happiness. In other words, our happiness or unhappiness depends on the way we think.
Thought also creates circumstances in a futuristic sense. If we harbour ill will and speak or act with ill will, people will begin to hate us. We will be punished by society and the law. After death, we will also be reborn in a realm of suffering. Here, thought refers to kamma (action) and experience refers to vipaka (consequences). Man/woman reaps what he/she has sown, both in the past and in the present. One is responsible for one’s own happiness and misery. One creates one’s own hell and heaven. Buddhism teaches the way to escape from suffering by understanding and using the law of cause and effect. Buddhism is very realistic and optimistic. Instead of blindly depending on unknown supernatural powers, hoping for happiness, Buddhism finds the true way to happiness realistically.
“Manopubbangama dhamma manosettha manomaya Manasa ce pasannena bhasati va karoti va
Tato nam sukhamanveti chaya va anapayani.”
“Mind is the forerunner of (all good) states. Mind is chief; mind made are they. If one speaks or acts with pure mind, because of that, happiness follows one, even as one’s shadow that never leaves.”
All that man/woman experiences springs out of his/her thoughts. If his/her thoughts are good, the words and deeds will also be good. The result of good thoughts, words and deeds will bring happiness. This happiness never leaves the person whose thoughts are good. Happiness will always follow him like his shadow that never leaves him.
Story
While residing at the Jetawana Monastery in Savatthi the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to Mattakundali, a young Brahmin.
Mattakundali was a young Brahmin, whose father, Adinnapubbaka, was very miserly and never gave anything in charity. Even the gold ornaments for his only son were made by himself to save payment for workmanship. When his son fell ill, no physician was consulted, until it was too late. When he realised that his son was dying, he had the youth carried outside on to the verandah, so that people coming to his house would not see his possessions.
On that morning, the Buddha arising early from his deep mediation of compassion (attains the Ecstasy of Great Compassion, Maha Karuna Samapatti) and radiating thought of loving kindness towards all beings, saw, in his Net of Knowledge, Mattakundali lying on the verandah. So when entering Savatthi for alms-food with his disciples, the Buddha stood near the door of the Brahmin Adinnapubbaka. The Buddha sent forth a ray of light to attract the attention of the youth, who was facing the interior of the house. The youth saw the Buddha; and as he was very week he was only profess his faith mentally. But that was enough. When he passed away with his heart in devotion to the Buddha he was reborn in the Tavatimsa celestial world.
How we experience our circumstances depends on the way we interpret them. If we interpret them in the wrong way, we experience suffering. If we interpret them in the right way, we experience happiness. In other words, our happiness or unhappiness depends on the way we think.
Thought also creates circumstances in a futuristic sense. If we harbour ill will and speak or act with ill will, people will begin to hate us. We will be punished by society and the law. After death, we will also be reborn in a realm of suffering. Here, thought refers to kamma (action) and experience refers to vipaka (consequences). Man/woman reaps what he/she has sown, both in the past and in the present. One is responsible for one’s own happiness and misery. One creates one’s own hell and heaven. Buddhism teaches the way to escape from suffering by understanding and using the law of cause and effect. Buddhism is very realistic and optimistic. Instead of blindly depending on unknown supernatural powers, hoping for happiness, Buddhism finds the true way to happiness realistically.
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